Page 39 of Coty

“Darlene Banks, you’re under arrest, too.” Sheriff Bowers turns to Mack. “We’ll work this out at the station.”

“You’re a sorry excuse for a sheriff.” Mack pulls Worley forward at least two feet, trying to get to his wife.

“Please, Mack,” Nanny cries. “Don’t fight them. Just get our lawyer and follow us.”

Mack loses most of his fight. “Okay, love. We’re right behind you.”

Nanny looks over at Lil Mama. “You shouldn’t have.”

“I go where you go,” Lil Mama says proudly. She glares up at the two deputies leading her out. “But I won’t go quietly.”

And she doesn’t. She yells and tells the deputies just how awful they are, and I’m not repeating the things she says about the Rhodes family. Oh, I agree with her on all of it. From the looks on a couple of these deputies’ faces, they agree with her, too.

Jack heaves with anger. It’s a good thing Lily’s working at the bakery today and not here to see him like this. He doesn’t relax even the slightest. Mack’s on the phone to the club’s lawyers. He hops in the truck with Worley. They follow the car carrying Nanny.

“Come on, Jack. Let’s get to the station.” We rush out to my truck. Jay jumps in the back seat.

Nick sends out an emergency alert. Before we reach town, every Viking within driving distance will be on their way to the Den. Granddad and Pops will fill them in. This is bad. I’m not sure how much more the McLeods can take. Hopefully, the lawyers will have Nanny and Lil Mama out in a few hours. If not, every Viking and our friends will be camping at the Sheriff’s office, even if we have to sleep in our cars.

Chapter 19

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Coty

To say this day has gone from bad to worse is putting it mildly. Never in a million years would I believe Evelyn McLeod would be arrested, especially not for assault and battery. What a joke. Yes, she threw the candleholder at the preacher's wife—a candleholder of all things. I was there. I saw it. If that hit actually hurt the woman, Mrs. Rhodes needs to be in a bubble-wrapped house and never allowed to leave. Heaven forbid if she ever stumps her toe.

If social media hadn’t gotten behind this and hyped it up, this would have blown over in a week or two. Okay. Maybe a month or two. Alright, probably never, but it would have been contained in our little town. Nobody would’ve been arrested for darn sure.

Jack’s out of the truck before I have it in park. Mack is already halfway to the car, carrying his wife. Six more cars of our club members pull in behind us. Bankz is waiting by the front doors. He rushes to the car carrying his mother. Big Papa has to grab Bankz and hold him back before he gets arrested, too. It’s obvious which parent Bankz gets his attitude from.

My club brothers and our family members shout their disapproval at Sheriff Bowers and his deputies when they step out of their cars. Nanny shakes her head at her husband and son. Lil Mama is yelling. Not that we can hear her through the closed window.

Sheriff Bowers motions for Mack to meet him at the back of his patrol car. “Settle your people down. I don’t want to arrest anyone else.”

“You shouldn’t have arrested her.” Mack heaves with anger.

“Jacob, calm them down. I won’t ask again.” Sheriff Bowers lowers his voice. “This is what they want. Don’t give it to them.”

Jack steps in front of his dad and glares down at the Sheriff. “You arresting her like this is giving them what they want.” He slowly shakes his head. “You’re no better than the rest of them.”

“Rodeo,” Mack calls out.

“Jack, easy man.” I take his arm and pull him away. He’s in shock, or I wouldn’t have been able to move him otherwise. “We need to help Worley settle everyone down.”

“You help him.” Jack jerks his arm away. He storms to the front doors and waits for his mother. I let him go. I get it. I don’t know how I’d act if this were my mom.

Hendrix grabs Bankz from behind and squeezes tightly. “Shut up! You’re not helping her.”

Bankz doesn’t listen. The moment Lil Mama’s out of the car, he starts again. “These pigs need to let my Mama go!”

“Jerrad.” Big Papa gets in front of him and points his finger in his son’s face. “You settle down. If you don’t, Hendrix is taking you out of here.”

“But…”

“Jerrad,” Big Papa warns.

Bankz heaves several deep breaths and looks as though he might explode. He nods once to his father and thankfully keeps his mouth shut.

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